On Soccer: Jurgen Klinsmann Brushes Off Opening Loss for U.S. Team in Copa América

DeAndre Yedlin (2) of the United States tangling with Edwin Cardona in Colombia’s 2-0 victory on Friday.Credit
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Shortly after watching what had appeared to be a disheartening defeat to Colombia in the opening game of the Copa América, United States Coach Jurgen Klinsmann was an exemplar of serenity.

He sat in a packed room late Friday at Levi’s Stadium for his postgame news conference and insisted that he was “absolutely O.K.” with the team’s play and that, besides the 2-0 score, the two sides had been “totally even.”

His players had asserted themselves well against a top team, he said repeatedly. He seemed content to claim a moral victory. In his eyes, a sunny road was ahead.

“It’s absolutely no problem now going forward,” Klinsmann said about the team’s two remaining group stage games. “Say we play Costa Rica to get 3 points, and we play Paraguay to get 3 points, we’re in the quarterfinal.”

That may be so. Colombia entered the game ranked No. 3 in FIFA’s world rankings, featuring players on the…